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Sunn O)))
Sunn O))) (pronounced simply sun /sʌn/, sometimes spelled as sunn O)))) are an American drone metal band from Seattle, Washington that formed in 1998. The band is primarily known for its synthesis of diverse genres including drone, ambient, noise, extreme metal and for their extremely loud live performances. Supported by a varying cast of collaborators, the band was formed and maintained by two core members: Greg Anderson and Stephen O'Malley. The band's style is characterized by extremely slow tempos, heavily distorted guitars, avoidance of rhythm and melody, and alternate tunings. The guitars are notable for their incredibly low register, frequently utilizing tunings as low as drop A. Additionally, the band is known for using resonant feedback to create monolithic soundscapes and eerie atmospheres. Percussion is almost never incorporated with a lack of any discernible beat. When performing live the band wears robes, fills the air with fog, and plays at an extremely high volume. Though drone is their nucleus, Sunn O))) experiment with a variety of styles and sounds with nods to avant-garde, ambient, classical music and black metal among other sounds. On occasion vocalists are incorporated with lyrical themes on nothingness, darkness, nihilism and the infinite void. The band releases the majority of its music through Southern Lord Records, the label Greg Anderson founded in 1998. However on occasion the band has branched out to other labels such as Rise Above Records, Hydra Head Records, Ideologic Organ (O'Malley's personal label.), ARCHIVE and 4AD among others. Sunn O))) are widely regarded as leaders in its genre, including by The New York Times Magazine of May 28, 2006, when the band was written up in an article called "Heady Metal" by John Wray. It was praised in an issue of Wonka Vision, an independent music magazine, as one of the greatest modern metal acts. Sunn O))) was also shown in the August 2007 issue of Q Magazine (the "loud issue"), with its album White1 being named the 18th-loudest album of all time, just above AC/DCs Back in Black and below Jimi Hendrix's Are You Experienced?. Sunn O)))'s name and logo are directly taken from the Sunn amplifier brand, whose logo includes a circle next to the "SUNN" banner with waves heading off to the right. In interviews, Stephen O'Malley stated that the band's moniker was also chosen as a play on the name Earth, a band widely regarded as pioneers of drone music throughout the 1990s and reasoned based on Sunn O))) as "revolving around Earth".YouTubeTV Eye Interviews Sunn O))), accessed 19 June 2017 Before the band members moved to Los Angeles, it briefly used the moniker Mars as a playful reference to Earth and the next planet in the solar system. History Formation and Initial Albums (1998 - 2002) Sunn O))) formed in Los Angeles circa March 1998 by O'Malley and Anderson, both of which previously worked together in Thorr's Hammer and Burning Witch. Previously the band also worked under the moniker of "Mars" in Seattle though they only did rehearsals and never performed live at the time. Eventually the group would perform their first live concert at The Garage on 24 April 1998.Setlist.fmAccessed 15 June 2017 Notably the duo would also record their first demos that year.IdeologicAccessed 20 May 2017 Eventually in 1999 G. Stuart Dahlquist would join the group along with Rex Ritter and the band would release their first studio output via Double H Noise Industries and Hydra Head Records in the form of The Grimmrobe Demos. Going into 2000 Sunn O))) would release their first studio album ØØ Void on 26 June and venture into Europe for their very first tour alongside Goatsnake and Orange Goblin. By 2001 Dahlquist would depart from the group as the band finished recording on their second album and started sessions on future material. On 22 January 2002 Sunn O))) would release their second studio album Flight of the Behemoth on Southern Lord Records with Japanese noise legend Merzbow as a key collaborator. At this point the group largely performed as a duo but had been working guests into their live performances at this point such as Mark Deutrom and Runhild Gammelsæter among others. White and Black (2003 - 2005) Throughout 2002 the duo would begin recording parts for their next albums, further conceptualizing and expanding on their own sounds. More frequent shows would happen when the members' schedules would permit. On 22 April 2003 the band would release their third studio album White1, a departure from their straightforward drone sound and featuring guests Julian Cope, Runhild Gammelsæter and Joe Preston. In November that year the band would perform their earliest known shows alongside Attila Csihar. In an interview with Metalsucks, Greg Anderson would elaborate on how the band's relationship with the Hungarian-born musician was established (and still stands): The band's fourth full-length White2 followed the next year on 29 June 2004 with Csihar contributing to two songs (One of which was a vinyl-only bonus track). Further mini-tours of the United States (Sharing the stage with the likes of The Hidden Hand, Om, Unearthly Trance, Comets on Fire and many more) and a winter 2004 tour pushed the band further as both White1 and White2 achieved critical acclaim at the time. The band would close out the year on 9 December with an appearance on BBC's Maida Vale, the final Peel Session booked by John Peel before his passing. This would be later released in 2005 as Candlewolff Ov Thee Golden Chalice. In May of 2005 the band would begin work on their fifth album, working with a host of various black metal musicians and composing drones inspired by classic Black Metal bands such as Bathory, Mayhem and Immortal.Southern Lord Press Page on Black OneAccessed 18 June 2017 In an interview with The Wire, Stephen O'Malley elaborated on his and Anderson's interest in the genre along with it's conception: Black One was released on 17 October 2005 to widespread critical acclaim. Recruiting Malefic (Xasthur) as a live vocalist. Earlier in the year the band would play Europe (including Roskilde Festival and Roadburn Festival) with Attila Csihar but in support of Black One the band would recruit Malefic as a vocalist. In late 2005 it would be announced that the band would begin 2006 with a European tour alongside their idols Earth. In support of the tour a split between both bands entitled Angel Coma was released, featuring an outtake from Black One. Altar, Oracle and Grimmrobes Live (2006 - 2008) Throughout the fall and winter of 2005 the band would work on a host of releases behind the scenes while touring early into next year, one of these releases in question purely conceptualized and without rehearsal.YouTubeAccessed 19 June 2017 In the summer Sunn O))) would announce two major releases. The first of was a 4LP vinyl release entitled whiteBOX (release date 20 July 2006), featuring both white albums and special bonus tracks (White1 featuring an unreleased collaboration with Ulver entitled "cutWOODED" while White2 featured both Decay tracks with Attila Csihar.).Smnnews The second major release was also announced in the summer in the form of Altar, a fullcollaborative album with Japanese experimental band Boris. Along with the five main performers the album would also feature the likes of Jesse Sykes, Joe Preston, Bill Herzog, Kim Thayil and Dylan Carlson.Southern Lord page on AltarAccessed 19 June 2017 Altar was ultimately released on 31 October 2006 to positive reviews via Southern Lord Records (With Inoxia covering the Japanese release). Beginning 2007 Sunn O))) would announce Oracle, an EP release in collaboration with New York sculptor Banks Violette. Notably it also featuring collaborative guests Joe Preston (on Jackhammer), Atsuo and Csihar. Some copies also contained a bonus live CD composing various live drones from their 2005 European shows.DiscogsAccessed 19 June 2017 Sunn O))) & Boris would close the year with a collaborative performance at Kentish Town Forum in London on 10 December 2007.Sunn O))) Live BandcampAccessed 19 June 2017 Sunn O))) would follow up with the live album Dømkirke, a performance at Bergen Cathedral for the Borealis Festival and released exclusively on vinyl circa 22 September 2008. Also celebrating the band's tenth anniversary, the band would announce on 9 August four special performances in observance, performing The Grimmrobe Demos strictly as a duo with no guests.BlabbermouthAccessed 19 June 2017] The first performance from this special tour would be recorded and released as (初心) Grimmrobes Live 101008 on cassette in support of their 2009 tours of Europe and Japan. Monoliths & Dimensions (2009 - 2013) Behind the scenes leading up to 2009, Sunn O))) sent two years composing their next studio album, collaborating with new musicians and expanding upon their sound even further. On 18 May 2009 Sunn O)))'s two-year recording jaunt would culminate in Monoliths & Dimensions, the band's sixth studio album, featuring regular collaborators Attila Csihar, Eyvind Kang, Oren Ambarchi and Dylan Carlson among trombonists Julian Priester and Stuart Dempster, string & horn emsembles and a Viennese woman's choir led by composer and vocalist Jessika Kenney. Ultimately the album would receive a great deal of positive reception, currently holding a score of 88 on Metacritic. The band would tour extensively in support of the new album alongside Eagle Twin. In an interview with Metalsucks, Greg Anderson would elaborate on the conception and formation of Monoliths & Dimensions: Along with touring and performing in support of the new album the band would also follow up with more Shoshin/Grimmrobes showcases in Japan and close the year off with a Grimmrobes duo performance in the UK on 12 December 2009 at Butlin's Resort in Minehead for All Tomorrow's Parties.Grimmrobes 2009 The band would tour early 2010 with Eagle Twin and work behind the scenes on new material. On 18 August 2010 it would be announced that Sunn O))) would be the curators of the 2011 edition of Roadburn Festival, featuring the likes of Jesse Sykes, Trap Them, Beaver, Keiji Haino, Earth, Corrosion of Conformity, Winter and Sunn O))) themselves among others in the curated lineup.Invisible Oranges Before the Roadburn performance would be a special curated performance in Brooklyn's Masonic Temple of Sunn O))) & Boris with BXI as support.Altar in Brooklyn Brooklyn Vegan article In the fall of 2011 Sunn O))) would tour Europe and again twice in 2012 along with an appearance at Power of The Riff and a tour of the US (A tour of Australia was planned and canceled due to conflicts with promoters.). Also of note in 2011 was a Southern Lord reissue of ØØ Void, a collaborative album with British experimental group Nurse With Wound entitled The Iron Sould of Nothing and Japanese 2CD re-issues on Daymare Recordings. Further Collaborations & Kannon (2014 - 2017) On 10 December 2013 Sunn O))) would announce the first of two collaborative albums to be released into the next year. The first of these special records would be a full-length with Norwegian experimental metal group Ulver entitled Terrestrials, released via Southern Lord on 4 February 2014.Sunn O)))'s Southern Lord PageAccessed 21 June 2017 With only a handful of shows under their belt the band would also announce a second collaborative album for a 2014 release: Soused, a full-length with Ohio avant-garde singer Scott Walker, released on his label 4AD on 21 October.StereogumAccessed 21 June 2017 2015 would see the band touring throughout Europe at a host of festivals and individual shows, including their first performance in Russia (Later released in 2016 as Нежить: Живьём В России) while announcing their seventh studio album Kannon, released on 4 December via Southern Lord.Self-Titled Mag Sunn O))) would follow throughout the next two years with live touring throughout the United States and Europe in support of the recent album (With one European show in 2016 being in the world's largest labryinth.).Sunn O))) Labyrinth PerformanceAccessed 21 June 2017 On 11 June 2015 Sunn O))) would also open a bandcamp page for bootlegs recorded of their live performances over the years while also maintaining a bandcamp for their official studio and live output.FactmagAccessed 21 June 2017 20th Anniversary and Life Metal (2018 - Present) The band has announced there will be special releases for it's 20th anniversary in 2018 (Also coinciding with the 20th anniversary of Southern Lord). On 17 April 2018, Sunn O))) announced a Downtown LA Rehearsal/Riff Tape March 1998 LP set for a 2018 release and documenting the band's very first recordings. In November 2018, after a special appearance at The Power of The Riff (With special guest Malefic, his first appearance with the band in twelve years), Sunn O))) would announce the first of many tours set for 2019 and hinted at two new studio albums in 2019.The Obelisk On 5 February 2019 Sunn O))) would announce one of these albums in Life Metal, which was recorded purely to analogue via Steve Albini at Electrical Audio. Additional recording via TOS would be done at Dave Grohl's 606 Studios. The album also features collaborators in renowned film music composer Hildur Guðnadóttir, Tim Midyett (Silkworm, Bottomless Pit, Milk Mile) and new music composer Anthony Pateras. Life Metal is set to be released in April 2019 while the second album known as Pyroclasts is set for an autumn release, also recorded with Steve Albini and featuring TOS, Tim Midyett, and Hildur Guðnadóttir. Pyroclasts would be described in the press release as a "more meditative" release.Sunn O))) at Southern Lord Following extensive touring through the summer of 2019, Sunn O))) would announce the official release date of their ninth studio album Pyroclasts, set for 25 October 2019. Described as a result of a daily practice regularly performed each morning or evening at the two week sessions in July 2018 for Life Metal, the work process of Pyroclasts is built around the musical participants gathering and working through a 12 minute improvised modal drone at the start and or end of the day’s work. The piece performed was timed with a stopwatch and tracked to two inch tape, it was an exercise and a chance to dig into a deep opening or closing of the days session in a deep musical way with all of the participants. To connect/reconnect, liberate the creative mind a bit and greet each other and the space through the practice of sound immersion. The players across the four pieces of Pyroclasts are Tim Midyett, T.O.S., Hildur Guðnadóttir, and as always Stephen O’Malley & Greg Anderson.Sunn O))) Facebook Discography Studio Albums *'ØØ Void' (2000, Rise Above Records; Hydra Head Records) *'Flight of the Behemoth' (2002, Southern Lord) *'White1' (2003, Southern Lord) *'White2' (2004, Southern Lord) *'Black One' (2005, Southern Lord) *'Monoliths & Dimensions' (2009, Southern Lord) *'Kannon' (2015, Southern Lord) *'Life Metal' (2019, Southern Lord) *'Pyroclasts' (2019, Southern Lord) Demos *'The Grimmrobe Demos' (1999, Double H Noise Industries / Hydra Head Records) *'Rehearsal Demo Nov 11 2011' (2012, Southern Lord / Ideologic Organ) *'LA Reh 012' (2014, Southern Lord / Ideologic Organ) *'Downtown LA Rehearsal/Riff Tape March 1998' (2018, Southern Lord / Ideologic Organ) Extended Plays *'Velis It White' (2003, Thin The Herd) *'Cro-Monolithic Remixes For An Iron Age' (2004, Southern Lord) *'Candlewolff Ov Thee Golden Chalice' (2005, Independent) *'Angel Coma' (Split With Earth) (2006, Southern Lord) *'Oracle' (2007, Southern Lord) Live Albums NOTE: Only official live albums are listed here. Bootlegs from the Sunn O))) live bandcamp are excluded. *'The Libations of Samhain' (2003, Bastet) *'Live Action Sampler' (2004, Independent) *'Live White' (2004, aRCHIVE) *'La Mort Noir dans Esch/Alzette' (2006, Southern Lord) *'Dømkirke' (2008, Southern Lord) *'(初心) Grimmrobes Live 101008' (2009, Southern Lord) *'Live At Primavera Sound Festival 2009 On WFMU' (2009, WFMU) *'Agharti Live 09-10' (2011, Southern Lord) *'Нежить: Живьём В России' (2016, Southern Lord/Ideologic Organ) Collaborations *'Altar' (Collaboration with Boris) (2006, Southern Lord) *'Che' (Collaboration with Pan Sonic; Split with Alan Vega & Stephen Burroughs) (2008, Blast First Petite) *'The Iron Soul of Nothing' (Collaboration with Nurse With Wound) (2011, Ideologic Organ) *'Terrestrials' (Collaboration with Ulver) (2014, Southern Lord) *'Soused' (Collaboration with Scott Walker) (2014, 4AD) Compilations *'WHITEbox' (Box-set of both White albums, 4LP) (2006, Southern Lord) Personnel Current Members *'Stephen O'Malley' - Bass, Guitars (1998 - Present) *'Greg Anderson' - Bass, Guitars (1998 - Present) Current Live Members *'TOS Nieuwenhuizen' - Live Keyboards (2005 - Present) Past Members and Live Collaborators *'G. Stuart Dahlquist' - Bass (1999 - 2001) *'Joe Preston' - Bass, Samples, Jackhammer (2002 - 2007) *'Oren Ambarchi' *'Merzbow' *'Keiji Haino' *'Atsuo Mizuno' *'Takeshi Ohtani' *'Wata' *'Jef Whitehead' (AKA Wrest/Leviathan) *'Rex Ritter' *'Runhild Gammelsæter' *'Nate Carson' *'Dawn Smithson' *'Peter Rehberg' *'John Weise' *'Kevin Drumm' *'Scott Connor' (AKA Malefic/Xasthur) (2005 - 2006; 2018) *'Bill Herzog' *'Mark Deutrom' - Bass (2006) *'Randall Dunn' *'Justin Broadrick' - Guitar (2006), Electronics (2007) *'Christopher McGrail' (AKA Holy McGrail) *'Lasse Marhaug' *'Daniel O'Sullivan' *'Sin Nanna' *'Martin Eric Ain' *'Attila Csihar' - Live Vocals (2003 - 2018) *'Steve Moore' - Live Trombone, Keyboards (2005 - ?) Tours * 2000 UK Tour (With Orange Goblin, Goatsnake) (2000) * AS GRIMM AS DEATH ITSELF EURO 2003 (With Thrones) (2003) * GRIMMROBES USA (2003)Last.fm * USA Live Performances 2003 (2003)O)))2003 * NUNS HAVE NO SUNN O))) UK 2003 (2003) * January 2004 Shows (With Chrome Hoof, Sunburned Hand of the Man) (2004)O)))2004 * WHITE2 RECORD RELEASE July 2004 (2004)O))) 2004 * SUNN O))) FLIGHT OF THE TROGLODYTE: CAVEDRONES FOR THE IRON AGE ' (With ''The Hidden Hand, Om on one date each) (2004)O)))2004 * '''SUNN O))) RATHER GRIMM 2004 (2004)O)))2004 * NO BOOGIE ONLY HATE AUSTRALIA 2005 (2004) * NO BOOGIE ONLY HATE EURO 2005 (With Boris, John Wiese) (2005)O)))2005 * USA May 2005 (With Wolf Eyes on select dates) (2005) * USA West Coast 2005 (With Boris, Thrones) (2005) * USA East Coast 2005 (With Nachtmystium) * SUNN O))) & EARTH Vs. EUROPE 2006 (With Earth)Ideologic * 2006 May USA Live Performances (With Boris)O))) 2006 * Fall 2006 USA Tour (With Celtic Frost, Goatwhore)O))) 2006 * Fall 2006 European Tour (With FINAL) * ONLY DEAF IS REAL - 2007 Austalasia Tour (With Boris) (2007)O))) 2007 * July 2007 USA Live Performances (With Weedeater, Wolves In The Throne Room, Earth)O)))2007 * November 2007 Tour (2007)O))) 2007 * Shoshin/GrimmRobes USA tour 2008 (2008)BrooklynVegan * 2009 Mexico Tour (With Jazkamer) (2009)Last.fm * Shoshin/Grimmrobes Japan 2009 (2009) * 2009 Spring European Tour (2009) * Monoliths & Dimensions North American Tour (With Eagle Twin) (2009) * Monoliths & Dimensions European Tour (With Eagle Twin) (2009) * Monoliths & Dimensions UK Tour (With BJ Nilsen, Om) (2009) * Monoliths & Dimensions 2010 Tour (With Eagle Twin) (2010) * 2011 Fall European Tour (2011)O)))2011 * 2012 European Tour (With Phurpa, Aluk Todalo) (2012)Last.fmO)))2012 * 2012 North American Tour (With Dead in The Dirt) (2012)O)))2012 * 2012 Australian Tour (With Pelican) (2012; Canceled) * 2012 Japan Tour (with Chelsea Wolfe) (2012) * 2012 Winter North American Tour (With Dead in the Dirt, Loincloth) (2012) * 2013 European Performances (2013) * 2014 Live Aktions (Australia, US) (2014) * 2015 European Live Aktions (2015) * 2016 Australia Tour (2016)Sunn O)))'s Southern Lord Page * Kannon North American Tour (With Big ‡ Brave) (2016) * Kannon European Tour (2016)Sunn O)))'s Southern Lord Page * Sunn O))) March 2017 Tour (With Big ‡ Brave) (2017) Sunn O)))'s Southern Lord Page * Sunn O))) UK + Ireland Tour 2017 (2017) * Let There Be Drone (Multiple Gains Stages) March 2019 Europe Part 1 (2019) * Let There Be Drone (Multiple Gains Stages) April 2019 North America Part 1 (With Papa M) (2019) External Links *Website *Official Facebook *Live History 1998 - 2017 *Sunn O))) Bandcamp *Sunn O))) Live Bandcamp *O)))2007 *Heady Metal Article *Stephen O'Malley interview in French *Quietus Interview *The Guardian Article *La Weekly Piece *Vice article on Terrestrials References Category:Experimental Category:Drone Category:Southern Lord Records Category:Seattle Category:Washington Category:Dark Ambient Category:USA Category:Drone Doom Category:Black Metal Category:Los Angeles Category:California Category:Paris Category:France Category:Band Category:Avant-garde Category:Stephen O'Malley Category:Greg Anderson Category:O))) Category:Sunn O))) Category:G. Stuart Dahlquist Category:Joe Preston